Downward facing dog / Adho Mukha svanasana

• From plank pose, on an exhalation lift your hips and push yourself back into the down dog pose.
• Firm your hands down, palms spread, base of index finger grounded.
• Push the floor away from you
• Press upper arms towards each other, shoulder blades down along the spine, but widen the shoulders at the back.
• Front of the ribs soft. Lengthen the spine, through lengthening equally front, back, and sides of the trunk.
• Lift sitting bones, but keep the flesh of the buttocks soft and away from the lumbar.
• Feet hip width apart, firm your legs up and bring inner thighs out in the space behind you.
• Lengthen the legs, and bring heels towards the floor, without compensating in the back, keep the spine long and as straight as is possible for you.
• Ears between the arms, keep the neck long.
• To come out you exhale and lower the knees to the floor.
• You can rest with hips on heel and forehead on floor or supported by your arms.

Click on Adho Mukha Svanasana to read up about the benefits of this pose.